Do you think everyone can sing?

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been asked this question a few times by different people. It seems to be a common point of curiosity: can everyone sing?

When I delved a little deeper, I found that each of these individuals had been told as a child by an ‘expert’ that they lacked the ability to sing and, as a result, were removed from a choir.

My initial reaction was one of shock, followed by sadness and, to be honest, indignation.

If you are someone who was repeatedly told as a child that you cannot sing, I would like to begin by apologising on behalf of the singing teaching community. I can assure you that the world of pedagogy is evolving, and we are learning too.

To answer the question directly: Yes, you can learn to sing!

You might wonder: But what about people who just can’t seem to hit the right note?

It’s important to distinguish between ‘amusia’ and ‘poor pitching’. Amusia is a rare neurological condition affecting only about 1.5% of the global population—and, interestingly, those affected tend not to care much about music.

Poor pitching, on the other hand, is a skill that can be developed and improved through learning and practice.

If you’ve spent years believing you cannot sing, it will certainly take time, patience, mindset work, and training to develop your singing skills.

But always remember: difficult or challenging is not the same as impossible.

I strongly believe that singing and music-making are for everyone, and that musical talent needs to be nurtured, not dismissed.